Cocaine and Crack Abuse (cont.)

Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD

Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland.

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

What causes and prevents cocaine abuse and addiction?

Like the majority of other mental health problems, cocaine abuse and
addiction have no single cause. However, there are a number of biological,
psychological, and social risk factors that can increase a
person's likelihood of developing a chemical abuse or chemical dependency
disorder. The frequency that substance-abuse disorders occur within some
families seems to be higher than can be explained by the addictive environment
of the family. Therefore, most substance-abuse professionals recognize a genetic
aspect to the risk of drug addiction. This is particularly true for cocaine
dependence.

Mental-disorder symptoms that are caused by cocaine abuse or addiction
include mood disorders like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, as well as
personality disorders like antisocial personality disorder. Social risk factors
for drug abuse and addiction include male gender, ages 18 to 44 years old,
Native American heritage, unmarried marital status, and lower socioeconomic
status. According to statistics by state, people residing in the West tend to
be at higher risk for chemical abuse or dependency. As
with substance abuse in general, prevention of cocaine abuse and addiction is
increased by circumstances like receiving appropriate supervision, as well as clear messages from family members
that cocaine use is unacceptable.